Slub catcher for winding machines



11, 1931. A. R. PERRIN SLUB CATCHER FOR WINDING MACHINES I/v vzw TOR d l rhonse RJei'rin.

Filed May 29, 1950 mmllllrllllllllllllmll Patented Aug. 11, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ALPHONSE B. PEBRIN, OF WESTIBBO'OK, MAINE, ASSIGNOB TO DANA WARP MILLS, 0F WESTBEGOK, MAINE, A CQRLEQBATIQN G1 MAINE SLUB GATCHER WINDING MACHINES Application filed May 29,

The invention hereinafter to be described relates to a slub catcher for winding machines and its object, stated in general terms, is to provide mechanism to be attached to these machines for tightly gripping the strand of yarn subsequent to the engagement of a slub with the feeler finger of the device, thereby insuring the breakage of the strand at or forwardly of the slub before the latter has an opportunity to pass to the spool and later appear as an imperfection in the finished fabric material.

The present invention has been conceived with the object in view of providing improved construction in the yarn-gripping elements of my two former inventions, secured by Letters Patents Nos. 1,585,315 and 1,609,917.

Specifically, the invention consists in two pivot-ally mounted yarn-gripping jaws acting, to all intents and purposes, as a toggle, the lower jaw having considerable freedom of action, rotatively, and the upper one so suspended on its pivot that it is susceptible of more or less vertical yieldability which better adapts it to procure accurate alignment with the lower jaw when the faces of the two mutually engage a strand of yarn.

A very important and characteristic object of my invention resides in the peculiar and novel form of the yarn-engaging faces of the jaws, there being in each, two or more stepped surfaces which cause the strand of yarn, when the jaws interlock, to become bent from a straight into a Zigzag shape which greatly augments the capacity of the jaws to resist slipping of the yarn across their faces.

Other advantages concern the accuracy with which the upper jaw may be positioned to accommodate itself to various sizes of yarn being wound; the sensitiveness of action of the several parts; the lack of intricate mechanism in the whole structure, and the simple and easily-to-be-understood manner in which all the elements function.

The character of the invention may best be understood by reference to the description found in the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which is disclosed an embodi- 1930. Serial No. 457,258.

ment which, at the present time, I consider preferable to other possible forms in which the. invention might be carried out.

In the drawings- 7 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional type of yarn guide with my improved slub catcher shown mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the yarn guide, certain portions being cut away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the device, the section being taken in a plane indicated by the numerals 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus, the section being taken on line H, Fig. 3 and showing the gripper jaws in open position;

Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 4, except that the jaws are shown in closed position, clamping the yarn;

Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are perspective views, respectively, of the lower and upper gripping jaws, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary views on an enlarged scale, illustrating, respectively, the action of the jaws when a strand of the yarn is about to be, and after it has been gripped by the jaws.

Similar reference characters are employed to identify like parts in all the different views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, G represents, in its entirety, a well known type of yarn guide on which is mounted a slub catcher constructed in accordance with my present invention.

Secured to the forward end of the guide is a standard 1, on the upper end of which is fixed a stud 2 having a head 2. Loosely journalled on the stud so as to permit of lateral and a slight amount of longitudinal movement thereon, is a feeler finger 3 having at its lower end a slot 4 through which the strand of yarn 5 passes on its way to the winding spool (not shown).

The upper end of the feeler finger is provided with an ofiset portion 3 serving as a weight which causes the feeler finger to swing laterally, when free of the yarn, in a direction toward the side Ga of the guide base.

This feeler finger is constructed substantially like those employed in my former inventions, hereinbefore referred to, and therefore, except that it forms an important element in the combination, does not enter, nor constitute a specific factor in, the new invention.

The operation of the yarn-gripping elements in my device is based on the togglejoint principle of mechanics. Instead of em ploying in my present invention one fixed and one moving arm, as I did in my former ones, I use two pivotally mounted jaws, their free ends or faces engaging opposite sides of the strand of yarn. And while, in the present instance, power is applied and delivered at the same point, the resulting action is identical with the ordinary method of operating toggle-jointsapplication of the power at one Pificuuuiti '(jlisli vu y Qf'ilfir: sunnyiti? a t Otl1I- insofar as the attainment of the object sought in this invention is concerned.

In Fig. T is shown the upper one, 6, of the two gripper jaws, having pintles T which are loosely operable in the bearings S, 8 on the rearward side of the upright standard 1. On one end of the member 6 is a tongue 6 which may conveniently be used when raising the member to clean it of lint or other foreign matter.

Beneath the transverse portion G?) of the guide Gr is secured a plate 9 and at each end thereof is a bearing 10 in which operates one of the pintles 11 of the lower gripper jaw 12.

Projecting through the standard 1 is a stop screw 12' against which the upper jaw may rest, normally. By adjusting this screw, variable limitation of forward movement of the upper aw is obtained, making it possible to locate the aw so that engages the lower one to the best advantage the character and ize o h j ec e plat 1s a member 1a bent to form a stop against which the lower jaw may abut while it is inoperatively disposed in the apparatus, as seen in Fig. 4.

It will be observed (see Fig. 2) that the standard 1 is vertically spaced from the por tion of the guide, providing a transverse slot 15 through which the yarn may freely move on its passage through the apparatus.

When the wind ng operation is taking place and the strand of yarn is drawn taut the face of the lower gripper jaw 1:2 is safely removed from contacting relation with it in order to avoid any possibility, which such contact would involve, of prematurely swinging the jaw nto raised position. The feeler tinge r at this time hangs loosely from its point of suspension and abuts lightly on the rear- *ard side of the lower aw, the latter member engaging the stop 1 1. I

The face of the upper jaw is positioned in closer proximity to the strand of yarn, as no trouble could arise in this instance, even should absolute contact he made between the jaw and yarn as the former would simply be the. two

somewhat more forcibly drawn against the stop screw 13.

Due to the fact that more or less vibration of the parts is always present in rapidly moving machinery there would he, were there no provision made to obviate the difliculty, a possibility of the upper jaw jarring or rehounding from off the stop screw 13 and allowing the lower aw to pass under it should a slub, at the instant of rebound of the upper jaw, force the feelcr linger forwardly.

In anticipation of this situation and to prevent its occurrence I provide a retainer memher in the form of a tongue 16 made by extending the face of the lower jaw so that it overlaps the upper one. \Vith this construction the lower jaw cannot, under any condition, pass; under and in advance of theupjv one.

It will be noted, if reference be had to the Figs. 6 and 7, that the jaws, as shown, are constructed of a single piece of plate material, bent over upon itself to enclose the pintles and then riveted together, one edge being slightly extended beyond the other, forming, respectively, the steps wand 1 This possibly might be considered a mechanical. expedient, resorted to in order to avoid drilling a long pintle hole in case the jaws were made from solid stock. Nevertheless, the construction disclosed a preferred one, although it is obvious that the j aws mighteasily bemade solid, as suggested, and the edges or engaging faces stepped by machining them.

In Fig. 2-

shown a screw 17 which, although an element usually found in the type of guide illustrated in Fig. 1, is utilized in the present instance to obtain close center to center adjustments between the pivotal points of Figs. l and 5. do not completely and fully disclose the toggling function of the two jaws due to the fact that in, the forn'ler the jaws are shown in inoperative positions with the strand of yarn advancing uninterruptedly, and in the latter the jaws are shown in positions immediately after the true toggling eli'ect has taken place.

Fig. 8, however, drawn to an enlarged scale) more clearly brings out an important detail in the ope 'ation of the slab, catcher mechanism.

lVhen the slab 1S advances to the feeler finger 3 and forces it forwardly, the step g of the lower jaw 12 rises into contact with the strand of yarn, and on continued upward movement of the j aw the yarn is brought into engagement with the step m of the upper jaw 6, the immediate effect of which is to lift the latter from off the end of the stop screw 13. The two jaws are now disposed in true togglejoint order and free, to, adjust and arrange themselves so that proper alignment between them, with a strand of yarn interposed, is possible. At this time the parts are as shown in Fig. 8.

Upon still further movement of the jaws, due to the pull of the advancing yarn, they are brought into closer mutual relation (see Fig. 9), and the interrupted faces of the jaws with the numerous sharp corners on which the yarn may contact together with the strong toggle-j oint action contribute to effect a closure about the strand of yarn impossible of procurement with the ordinary smooth face, single jaw construction.

It will be observed that the plane cutting the two pivoting points of the jaws, at 7 and 11, lies forwardly of the faces of the same when they engage a strand of yarn with sufficient force to stop its movement, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings; and also that, when the jaws are in closest relation with each other, the tongue 16 nests in the space marked 2 in Fig. 7.

What I claim is:

1. A slub catcher adaptable for use on yarn guides for winding machines, comprising two pivotally mounted, co-acting jaws, a plurality of steps forming an interrupted surface on the adjacent and engaging faces of said jaws, the steps on the face of one jaw interlocking with those on the other when the two jaws are brought into contacting relation, relatively, a tongue extending from the face of one jaw and adapted to overlap the other to restrict its outward swinging movement, and a feeler-finger, having a yarn slot therein, pivotally suspended from a point above said jaws and adapted, when engaged by a slub, to force said jaws into contact with opposite sides, respectively, of the strand of yarn and hold it against further longitudinal movement through said guide.

2. A slub catcher adaptable for use on yarn guides for winding machines, comprising in combination with a pivotally suspended feeler-finger having a yarn slot therein and susceptible of being oscillated both laterally and longitudinally of and within said guide, a aw, having a stepped face, pivotally mounted forwardly of said fecler-finger, the pivoting point thereof being located subjacent the pivotal swinging point of said feeler-finger, a second jaw, having a face with steps reversely disposed from those on the first mentioned jaw, said second jaw being swingingly mounted beneath said first jaw and subject to engagement therewith, and abutting said feeler-finger at its free end, a stop member on which said second aw, when inoperatively disposed in said guide, may rest in spaced relation to the strand of yarn, a movement restrictor on said second jaw to control the rearward movement of said first jaw, and an adjustable stop to variously position said first aw.

3. A slub catcher adaptable for use on yarn guides for winding machines, comprising two pivotally mounted jaws, one superjacent the other with their yarn-engaging faces normally separated to permit of the uninterrupted passage of the yarn through said guide, said faces being disposed rearwardly of a substantially vertical plane cutting the two axial points of the jaws, steps on the yarn-engaging faces of each jaw, forming, when the two jaws are contiguous, an halved, lapping joint enclosing the strand of yarn and abruptly bending it from a straight into a zigzag course, means whereby the impact force of a slub advancing on and with the strand of yarn may be transmitted to the lower of the two said jaws to raise it, an upwardly extending portion on said lower jaw, overlapping said upper jaw, adapted to restrict the backward movement of the latter and to advance it when the second jaw approaches the first jaw, a stop member to limit the forward movement of said upper j aw, a tongue on said upper jaw with which to manually raise it from said stop member sufficiently to clean it, and means to vary, either to increase or decrease, the center to center distance between the pivotal points of said jaws.

4. A slub catcher adaptable for use on yarn guides for winding machines, comprising in combination, a standard mounted on the forward end of said guide, bearings in said standard, a jaw having a stepped, yarn-engaging face pivotally suspended from said bearings, a plate on the under side of said yarn guide, hearings in said plate, a jaw having a stepped face pivotally mounted in the bearings in said plate, an extended portion on said lower jaw overlapping said upper jaw, a stop member adapted to variably position said upper jaw when normally disposed in said guide, a stop member on which said lower jaw may normally rest in spaced relation to the strand of yarn passing through said guide, a stud at the upper end of said standard, and a feeler-finger, having a yarn slot therein, oscillatively mounted on said stud, said feeler-finger, when engaged by a slub on the advancing yarn, adapted to raise said lower jaw into engagement with the strand of yarn, forcing the latter upwardly and temporarily unseating the said upper jaw from its stop member; and, on continued upward movement of said under jaw a strong embrace of the strand is effected by the two jaws, the extended portion on the lower jaw together with the said feeler-finger co-acting to hold the upper jaw in alignment with the lower one.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALPHONSE R. PERRIN. 

